ver and he moved to Sacramento in
850.
Ainsworth eventually established a
mercantile business in Oregon City
id fondness for water travel prom­
ed him to form the Oregon Steam
avigation company in .1860. The
mipany operated on the Columbia
id Willamette Rivers and held a vir­
al monopoly on river commerce for
my years. Later, Ainsworth sold his
lipping interest and entered the
inking business. He was a co-
iunder of the Ainsworth National
ank of Portlancl and the Central
ank of Oakland, Calif.
The Ainsworth home, now owned
¡Keith Kinsman, was registered in
1932 as a famous American home
id in 1972 was registered as the first
ational Historic site in Oregon. Its
ajesty and romantic qualities are
flective of the man who’built it.The
stately home is located on the con­
tinuance of Linn Avenue, on a slight
knoll in the Mount Pleasant section
of Oregon City.
Rosewood, mahagony and walnut
furniture were imported from England
in 1849 to .furnish the home of Dr.
Forbes Barclay, located adjacent to
the McLoughlin House on Center
Street and Eighth Avenue in Oregon
City.
The Barclay home is more modest
than the Ainsworth dwelling^ and
features small pane windows, witch
doors, a parlor, a sitting room and the
doctor’s office which he called “The
Apothecary Shop .’’Chinese wallpaper
still covers the walls of the old home.
Forbes was a versatile physician. In
fact, as the only practicing physician in
Oregon city for many years, he
covered the area from Vancouver,
Wash., to-the Polk County hills in
canoes or on horseback to visit his
many patients.
In addition to being a physician
Barclay was also an explorer and an
adventurer. While he was a student at
Edinburgh University in Ireland, he
joined an expedition to search for the
missing Sir John Ross’ Artic exploring
party.
The search came to no avail when
their vessel wrecked and all blit young
Barclay and few others were lost.
Barclay -finished his studies at the
Royal College of Surgeons , in 1838
and moved to Vancouver, Wash.,
where he served as chief surgeon for
the Hudson’s Bay Company for nearly
10 years.
After leaving the company, he
ministered to local townspeople and
reportedly never turned down a call.
He was also the first mayor of Oregon
city.
Story and photos by
Kelly Laughlin
The Barclay House (upper left), and pillared Ainsworth
House (lower left) are stately reminders of Oregon City’s
historic past. The Barclay House, owned by the
McLoughlin Association, is used today as a tearoom
where luncheons are served by volunteers to benefit the
non-profit organization. The Ainsworth House, privately
owned by Keith Kinsman, will undergo some minor
restoration work this summer. The articles pictured here
are among the only remaining furnishings left in the home
from Captain Ainsworth’s day.
ftln9-8ummer 1979
page 7